A Community Server provides its community with "co-presence" capabilities for the entire World Wide Web. For example, using such a server at AOL, AOL members can meet on any Web page in the world, chat, and go on guided tours of the Web together. People may belong to multiple communities, depending on their areas of interest.

The Virtual Places Community Server runs on standard Unix platforms and provides the real-time connections between users connecting with the Virtual Places Companion. One Server can address any URL in the Web, and support thousands of simultaneous users. The Community Server helps community members bind together and conduct online programming and events.